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Monday, December 24, 2018

LG Smartwatch Review - Spend Those Gift Cards

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product.

Time's up to get Christmas presents for this year, but what to do with all those gift cards? Prime shopping season continues into the new year because of them. If you're still thinking of what to get yourself or even a late gift for a friend, consider a watch with Wear OS by Google such as the LG - Watch W7 Smartwatch 44.5mm Stainless Steel, or the LG Watch W7 for short.

The LG Watch W7 is an Android and iOS compatible smart watch that runs Wear OS from Google and comes with Google Assistant voice integration. While the watch is mostly digital, the hands are mechanical, providing you with the latest technology behind the watch but more of a familiar look and feel when the background is off and you just want to see the time. And you don't have to worry about the accuracy of the mechanical hands. With a Swiss-made gearbox, this LG Watch W7 smartwatch delivers precise hand movements for accurate time monitoring.

The watch face in the initial picture at top is digital, except for the hands. That means you can change the look of the watch by just changing the background, as shown here with a star chart as part of the watch face. This allows you to own one watch but let it match different outfits

Having a digital watch face means that the watch face can show a menu of options, too. While many options are controlled by the three buttons on the right, the watch face is touch screen, too, so you can select choices directly from there.

You also get to worry about allowing the watch to expose various options that require security permissions, too. While you do need to pair the watch with your phone to get the most functionality, since it works with the latest releases of both Android and iOS, you don't need to worry about upgrades and switching platforms. You're not locked into one or the other.

The interface take a bit of time to get used to. While most of the functionality is pretty intuitive, it is not always immediately clear where you might find a particular option, or app. This is where Google Assistant comes in handy as you can just tell it to open up settings or turn on the flashlight, which just lights up the watch face. Not too bright, but good enough to find a keyhole to unlock a door. In addition to setting up the watch from the watch, you can run an app on your phone to setup from there.Overall, the LG Watch W7 is a great addition for creating a more sophisticated look than your typical watch. You get proactive, personalized help from the Google Assistant to keep you ahead of your day, even before you ask. Its many handsfree options and haptic feedback allow you to keep your eyes on the road while still interacting with the watch, or just hands on the groceries / kids, instead of having to tap the watch face to see or do something. You can even scroll with the flick of your wrist, though that takes some practice. The watch also provides smarter health coaching from Google Fit to motivate you towards a healthier life with coaching and activity tracking based on guidelines from the American Heart Association & World Health Organization. It does lack a heart rate monitor and sleep tracking, though. Surely the LG Watch W7 is something to consider when spending those gift cards.Check out the watch over at Best Buy and you can save $200 from the regular $449 price.

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product for the purpose of this review. All opinions stated are my own and may differ from yours. See my disclosure policy for more information.